Sharad Navratri 2026: Dates, Ghatasthapana Muhurat and a Complete Guide to Maa Baglamukhi Puja and Havan

Every year, as the monsoon clouds clear and the autumn air turns fresh, Hindu homes and temples across India and around the world prepare for nine nights devoted to the Divine Mother. Sharad Navratri 2026 begins on Sunday, 11 October and concludes with Vijayadashami (Dussehra) on Tuesday, 20 October 2026.

For devotees of Maa Baglamukhi, the eighth of the Dus Mahavidyas, Navratri is one of the most important times of the year to offer puja, havan and special anushthan. In this guide you will find the complete Navratri 2026 dates, the Ghatasthapana muhurat, the meaning of each of the nine days, and how you can take part in a traditional Maa Baglamukhi Puja and Havan at Maa Baglamukhi Temple, Nalkheda, whether you live in India or abroad.

Sharad Navratri 2026 at a Glance

Why do Ashtami and Navami fall on the same day this year? Hindu festivals follow the lunar tithi, not the solar calendar. In 2026 the Ashtami and Navami tithis both touch 19 October, so many panchangs list both observances on that day. Families who perform Kanya Pujan or the Ashtami/Navami havan should confirm the exact tithi timing for their city with their priest.

What Is Sharad Navratri?

The word Navratri means "nine nights". Hindus observe several Navratris in the year. The two best known are Chaitra Navratri in spring and Sharad Navratri in autumn. Two more, the Gupt (secret) Navratris of Magh and Ashadh, are especially valued by devotees of the Mahavidyas.

Sharad Navratri takes place in the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of the month of Ashwin. It celebrates the victory of Maa Durga over the demon Mahishasura, a story that devotees understand as the victory of dharma over adharma and of clarity over confusion. On the tenth day, Vijayadashami, the victory is celebrated across India. In the north, Ravana effigies are burned as a reminder of Lord Rama's triumph.

For nine nights, devotees fast, chant, recite the Durga Saptashati, light an akhand jyoti (an unbroken lamp), and perform puja and havan to the many forms of the Goddess.

Why Navratri Is Special for Maa Baglamukhi Devotees

Maa Baglamukhi, also lovingly called Pitambara ("the one dressed in yellow"), is one of the ten great forms of the Divine Mother known as the Dus Mahavidyas. In tradition she is associated with stambhan shakti, the power to bring stillness. Devotees understand this as steadiness of mind, control over one's own speech and emotions, and calm in the middle of turbulent situations.

Since all the Mahavidyas are forms of the same Shakti that is worshipped in Navratri, many devotees feel these nine nights are an especially auspicious time to:

• Begin a Baglamukhi mantra jaap or an anushthan under the guidance of a qualified Acharya
• Offer a Maa Baglamukhi Havan with yellow offerings such as turmeric and yellow mustard
• Make a sankalp (sacred intention) for their family, work or a difficult life situation
• Visit Maa Baglamukhi Temple, Nalkheda, or have a puja performed there on their behalf

The temple at Nalkheda, in District Agar Malwa of Madhya Pradesh, is one of India's most revered Baglamukhi shrines. Navratri is among its busiest and most devotional seasons.

The Nine Days of Navratri: The Nine Forms of Maa Durga

On each day of Navratri, one form of Maa Durga (together called the Navadurga) is worshipped. Because some tithis in 2026 overlap, it is best to follow your local panchang for the exact date of each form. The sequence is:

Many families also perform Kanya Pujan on Ashtami or Navami, honouring young girls as living forms of the Goddess by washing their feet, offering food and giving small gifts.

How to Observe Navratri at Home: A Simple Guide

You don't need an elaborate setup to honour the Goddess in Navratri. Sincerity matters most. A simple traditional observance looks like this:

1. Clean your puja space on the day before Navratri and decorate it with fresh flowers.
2. Perform Ghatasthapana on 11 October within the muhurat. Sow barley in a clay bed, place a water-filled kalash on it, and set a coconut with mango leaves on top.
3. Light a diya. If possible, keep an akhand jyoti burning through all nine nights. If that isn't practical, light a lamp every morning and evening.
4. Offer daily puja to the form of the Goddess for that day with flowers, incense, naivedya (food offering) and aarti.
5. Chant or read. Recite the Durga Saptashati, Durga Chalisa or a mantra given by your guru. Devotees of Maa Baglamukhi often recite the Baglamukhi Chalisa or Kavach.
6. Keep a sattvik routine. Many devotees fast fully or partially, avoid grains, onion and garlic, and eat fruit, milk and vrat food. Fast only in a way that suits your health.
7. Conclude with Kanya Pujan and havan on Ashtami or Navami, then celebrate Vijayadashami on 20 October.

Maa Baglamukhi Puja and Havan During Navratri

Many devotees also have a formal Maa Baglamukhi Puja or Havan performed by an experienced Acharya during Navratri, alongside their home observance. Here is what that traditionally involves.

1. Sankalp: Your Sacred Intention

Every puja begins with a sankalp. The Acharya recites your name, gotra, place and the intention for which the puja is being offered. The intention might be peace in the family, guidance during a difficult situation, or simply devotion to the Goddess. This is why a conversation before the puja matters: the sankalp should reflect your own situation.

2. Puja with Yellow Offerings

Maa Baglamukhi is worshipped with yellow: yellow clothes, yellow flowers, turmeric, chana dal and yellow sweets. The Acharya performs the puja with Vedic and traditional mantras, followed by recitation of the Baglamukhi mantra with a haldi (turmeric) mala.

3. Havan: The Fire Offering

In the havan, offerings (ahutis) such as ghee, herbs, turmeric and yellow mustard are made into the sacred fire while mantras are chanted. The fire is seen as Agni Dev, the messenger who carries the devotee's offerings to the deity.

4. Special Anushthan (for longer sankalps)

Some devotees choose a special anushthan, a structured programme of mantra jaap over several days, often completed with a havan. Navratri's nine days naturally suit this kind of practice. The appropriate number of jaap, the duration and the rituals are decided according to the devotee's situation and tradition.

Which One Is Right for You?

This depends on your circumstances, what you are seeking and your family tradition. It is exactly what the free consultation is for. You explain your situation to Acharya Ashish Sharma, and he tells you which traditional puja, havan or anushthan he considers appropriate, with no obligation to book.

Taking Part from Abroad: Navratri Puja for NRI Families

If you live in the USA, Canada, the UK or elsewhere, you can still have a Navratri puja or havan performed at Nalkheda. The process is simple:

1. Free consultation by phone or through the online form: share your situation and ask your questions.
2. Share sankalp details: your full name, gotra (if known), family members' names and your intention.
3. Puja at Nalkheda: the Acharya performs the puja, havan or anushthan with your name in the sankalp.
4. Join or receive updates: where arranged, you can join by video call or receive photos or video of the ritual.
5. Payment: international payment options include UPI, bank transfer, Razorpay, Stripe and PayPal.

Ghatasthapana Muhurat in Your Time Zone (11 October 2026, 6:19 AM IST)

Because India is ahead of North America, the Navratri morning in India falls on the evening before in the USA and Canada. That makes it convenient for families there to join a live ritual after work.

Navratri Do's and Don'ts

Do: - Keep your home and puja space clean throughout the nine days - Offer puja at a regular time each day - Speak gently and avoid arguments. Navratri is a time for inner steadiness. - Donate food or essentials to those in need - Consult a qualified Acharya before starting a mantra anushthan

Don't: - Start a Mahavidya mantra sadhana without proper guidance - Leave the akhand jyoti unattended in an unsafe place. Use a stable lamp away from curtains. - Force yourself into a strict fast if you have health concerns. Devotion matters more than the difficulty of the fast. - Treat puja as a transaction. It is an act of faith and surrender.

Navratri 2026 Day-Wise Calendar

Because of how the lunar tithis fall this year, the Saptami tithi is long and covers two civil days (17 and 18 October), and Ashtami and Navami meet on 19 October. Here is the day-wise calendar as given in published panchangs:

Panchangs differ slightly by city and tradition, so the exact form worshipped on 18 October may vary between families. Your priest can confirm the practice for your family.

Read more: Navratri Ashtami and Navami Havan 2026

Navratri 2026 Colours

In Maharashtra and Gujarat especially, many devotees wear a particular colour on each day of Navratri. The colours follow the weekday. For Sharad Navratri 2026 they are:

For devotees of Maa Baglamukhi, yellow is worn and offered on any day of Navratri, since she is Pitambara, the Goddess in yellow. Thursday, 15 October is a natural day to wear yellow for both reasons.

Traditional Bhog for Each Day

A popular tradition offers a particular bhog (food offering) on each day. Customs vary by region and family, so treat this as a simple guide:

For Maa Baglamukhi, yellow bhog such as besan laddoo, yellow sweets, chana dal or kesar kheer is traditionally offered.

What to Eat During the Navratri Fast

Fasting customs differ, and you should always choose what suits your health. Commonly eaten foods during a Navratri vrat include:

• Fruits, milk, curd and paneer
• Kuttu (buckwheat) and singhara (water chestnut) flour for rotis and pakoras
• Sabudana khichdi and vada
• Samak (barnyard millet) rice
• Potatoes, sweet potatoes and pumpkin
• Sendha namak (rock salt) instead of regular salt
• Dry fruits and makhana

Commonly avoided: regular grains (wheat, rice), onion, garlic, and non-vegetarian food. Many families abroad find kuttu, singhara and sabudana at any Indian grocery store.

Your Navratri 2026 Checklist

Before 11 October: - Clean and decorate your puja space - Buy a kalash, coconut, mango leaves, barley and clay for the Ghatasthapana - Keep a stable lamp and ghee ready for the akhand jyoti - Stock vrat foods if you plan to fast - Book your puja, havan or anushthan in advance, especially for 19 October

During Navratri: - Daily puja at a fixed time for the form of that day - Recitation: Durga Saptashati, chalisa or the mantra given by your guru - Keep speech gentle and the routine sattvik

On 19–20 October: - Sandhi Puja, Kanya Pujan and havan on 19 October - Vijayadashami on 20 October; many families end the fast (parana) after the Navami rituals or on Dashami, according to family custom

Read more: Maa Baglamukhi Havan Samagri List · Can Baglamukhi Puja Be Done at Home?

About Acharya Ashish Sharma

Acharya Ashish Sharma has served in the tradition of Maa Baglamukhi for more than 25 years. He is Sanskrit-trained and has been connected with this tradition since birth, and his office is near Maa Baglamukhi Temple, Nalkheda. He performs traditional Maa Baglamukhi Puja, Havan and Special Anushthan, and offers personal spiritual guidance according to each devotee's situation, for families in India and around the world.